Happy birthday Carmel

I really love this time of year, especially when it's time for the annual birthday parade in Carmel which is held on the Saturday closest to Halloween. This year it actually was on the big day itself. Carmel incorporated on October 31, 1916 which made this the 99th birthday.

My favorite part of the parade is that anybody can join in so every year we drag bring our dog to walk alongside us. Jasper got off easy every year, all he had to do was walk but each little dog has had to wear a costume. (insert evil laugh here)

  This was Charlie's parade debut so she had to have a special outfit. Luckily a wonderful friend is an amazing sewer and she offered to make something for my princess. It was so much fun picking out the pattern (Steampunk Princess) and all the material when my friend visited (from Maryland) in early October.

My sewing skills are pretty non-existent (although I really would like to learn) so I am so grateful for her offer. 

 We joined the big group of walkers - adults, children, and dogs - and walked past the cheering, laughing crowds. I saw several people point their cameras right at Charlie and heard a lot of "how adorable" comments from the onlookers. Charlie seemed to love all the attention and walked right along with enthusiasm.

Her hat was a little less enthusiastic; it kept slipping under her chin. We'll have to fix that for next year.

 After the parade we stopped at Nielsen's for lunch. This grocery store has been in Carmel since the '30s and they are the best lunch value in Carmel. If you're ever in town, try their 3.99 burger. You won't be sorry.

While we were at lunch, a couple of people asked if they could take Charlie's picture. She and I loved all the attention.

I can't wait to do it again next year!

Sunday Drive - the Carmel birthday parade

Carmel is one of those places that enchants a lot of people and attracts busloads of visitors. I can see why, it's beautiful and charming and almost seems like a make-believe town. Perhaps it's all the fairytale cottages or the tree-lined main street, full of shops, that ends right at the edge of the sparkling blue ocean. Maybe it's the assortment of art galleries, high end jewelry shops and gourmet restaurants that leads people to believe that Carmel is a vacation paradise but not the type of place where real people live.

And yet, I assure you that real people live here, dodging in and out of the many visitors who sometimes forget that they can't just stop in the middle of the road to check the map they picked up at the visitor's center. We welcome the tourists and schedule wonderful events for them (Concours d'Elegance, Bach Festival, AT&T golf tournament) but sometimes we like to throw a little party just for us.

The Carmel Birthday Parade is an event for the locals. The town founders were brilliant enough to incorporate the town on October 31, 1916 so every year on the Saturday closest to Halloween, we throw ourselves a little birthday bash complete with a parade. This isn't your usual type of parade, there are no marching bands or floats. This is a real community parade where everyone is welcome to participate. All town organizations are invited to have a car in the parade or to walk behind a banner. The police and fire departments haul out their shiniest equipment to drive up and down Ocean Avenue with lights and sirens going off every few seconds.

The best part, however, is that anyone that would like to walk behind all the cars is welcome. So, many of us turn out every year in our best costumes (or not) and wave at all the bystanders on the sidewalks. There are lots of children in costume but, Carmel being Carmel, the kids are usually outnumbered by all the dogs...in costume.

Here are a few photos from yesterday's parade to show you why it's my favorite event of the year.

Of course the most amazing dog in the parade was my darling Shifu. 

But there were many other cute dogs there too.

And look, we even had kids in the parade!

It wouldn't be a 2014 Halloween event without an Elsa. I heard that this year's Halloween drinking game will be to take a drink every time an Elsa shows up at your door on Friday. Good thing the next day is Saturday!

Marching down main street - Ocean Avenue.

Our police department has only the most modern of equipment, of course! Isn't that car a beauty. I wish they'd let me take a ride in it one day.

 When it's all over the whole town heads to the local community center for hot dogs and chips. At $5/person, it's the best deal in town...by a long shot!

Oh no, Shifu is dismayed that we've reached the end and it's time to go home. 

We can't wait to do it all again next year!